The Tiny Luxury – A 2016 HGTV/DIY Series

September 21, 2016

Jason Francis
Co-Founder, Chief Operating Officer, Tiny Heirlooms

Luxury has always been a coveted desire for most people. For years, it’s been about acquiring treasures, riches, massive estates and attaining a prestigious status defined by these “things.” The belief has been that this type of luxury provides freedom and happiness; for some it does. Yet, for most it can do the complete opposite: luxury based on material possessions can force people to be a part of a viscous, stressful cycle of always “needing” more. Today, our society is starting to realize that the traditional definition of luxury is all backwards, and many are doing something about it.

To be financially wealthy, yet time bankrupt, is not all what it’s talked up to be. Luxury is slowly being redefined as more people start to realize that they are sacrificing a majority of their time for meaningless things. Luxury is becoming less about what you have and more about the ability to do what you enjoy with those you love. It’s becoming less about being bound by debt, and more about living freely within your means to truly enjoy life. Time is our most valuable asset; the most luxurious possession.

More meaningful, simplified living is on the rise. The housing trend spreading across the nation is downsizing. Smaller is becoming better. A tiny home is one way many people have chosen to downsize — yet live a more luxurious lifestyle and a more enjoyable one. These buyers are not downgrading. In fact, many people are upgrading with high quality finishes and features they may not have had before. The tiny, luxury home on wheels also gives the owner the ability to pack up and live in a new landscape: the beach, lakes or forests.

By definition, a tiny home is much smaller than your traditional residential home. The average size is 175 square feet, but it can be built up to 400 square feet. The concept is to allow for much higher-end features and finishes to be incorporated for a “luxury” feel at an affordable price. These types of homes have the same materials and amenities used in multi-million dollar estates. From high-end marble countertops, handmade shower tile, intergraded automation, copper finishes, solar, rain censored skylights to custom accordion style doors — and of course, the ability for the buyer to be creative with customization. Styles and floor plans can vary widely from a modern loft-style bedroom to a traditional main floor master bedroom.

The market is relatively new in the U.S.; therefore, industry standards are currently speculative. We have found that approximately 50 percent of buyers are in the 20 to 30 age group; 40 percent are between 30 to 50 years old; 10 percent are between the 50-70 age group — this is increasing. Tiny homes are becoming more popular across the country as well as a large growth trend internationally. Buyers range from a single person to a family of 6 using the house for vacations.

An example of a buyer story is a couple who replaced a 60-hour work week, bills and stress to get back to “the playfulness and joy in (their) relationship.” They decided to get out of the “rat race of accumulating stuff” and downsize to a 124 square foot tiny home. Here is what they have to say about their experience and conclusion:

“To an outsider looking in, it probably seems like we’re struggling: we don’t have many of the modern luxuries that most Americans have. In my opinion, we have more. We rarely spend days off at home, opting instead to go to the beach, watch the sunset, surf or hike. Every day is fulfilling… We’ve both finally come to realize that life is about experiences, not things.”

Our HGTV and DIY show “Tiny Luxury” really explains what the NEW luxury movement is about — it’s been a wild ride. The show just fell into our lap. Our production company found us in a magazine in New York. When they noticed our business is a family-run, tiny home building company, they wouldn’t let us say no to the show — despite our efforts. Just a few short months after agreeing to do it, we were up and filming. The show started airing again on DIY in July 2016 and HGTV in September 2016.

Jason grew up learning the tricks of the trade of construction from his father, a Master Carpenter. By the age of 20, under his father’s guidance, Jason and his brother hand-built 7 traditional residential homes from foundation to roofing. This experience combined with a 9 month sailing trip from San Diego, California to Brisbane, Australia gave him a vast understanding of sustainability and living life to its fullest. His sail boat had no space to be wasted and no resource whether it be energy, water, food etc. These two life changing experiences led Jason to jump into the Tiny House Movement. He now runs his company with his two brothers, Zach and Tyson. Jason, his brothers and their wives play an important role in the Tiny Heirloom company. To contact Jason or other team members, visit www.tinyheirloom.com.